Sean Dyche has emerged as the clear favourite to become the next Everton manager and could be appointed as early as today.
The former Burnley boss was a frontrunner along with Marcelo Bielsa, who flew into the UK on Thursday for talks with club chiefs. Bielsa was understood to be majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri's initial first choice but emphasis on the hiring process was placed on Mr Moshiri, the Everton board and director of football Kevin Thelwell reaching a team decision.
Bookmakers slashed the odds on Dyche taking over at Goodison Park amid reports he was set to get the job on Friday morning. Those in charge at the club have been keen to make a quick appointment in order to give the new manager as much time as possible to prepare for Everton's next game, against Arsenal a week on Saturday, and to have some influence in the final days of the January transfer window.
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Dyche had been considered a likely candidate from the moment it emerged Frank Lampard had been sacked on Monday afternoon. The 51-year-old spent 10 years at Burnley, guiding the club to two promotions from the Championship and a seventh-place finish in the Premier League - meaning he took the side into Europe. He was sacked in April as Burnley were engulfed in a relegation battle they would ultimately lose.
But his experience in operating in the Premier League and building teams to fight for survival are seen as key attributes as Everton, currently second from bottom, prepare for a second consecutive relegation fight.
Should he be appointed, as is now widely expected, he will take over after Lampard endured a winless run of 10 games and with the club above bottom-of-the-table Southampton simply through goal difference. Dyche would be re-united with ex-Burnley players Dwight McNeil, James Tarkowski and Michael Keane and work would immediately begin on contributing to Thelwell's efforts to strengthen the playing squad ahead of the transfer deadline on Tuesday. Everton are yet to make a signing this month.
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